Texas Trost Society: Preservationists angry about River Oaks' plan

Malissa Arras, President of the Texas Trost Society, is outraged the River Oaks Properties has purchased and plans to demolish several properties on the southwest corner of Mesa and San Antonio Streets. Arras said the city would be much better served if the buildings were renovated rather than demolished to build a strip mall or parking lot. (MARK LAMBIE — EL PASO TIMES)

River Oaks Properties, an El Paso shopping center developer, has received city permits to demolish five dilapidated buildings on one block along San Antonio and Mesa Streets in Downtown to make way for an unspecified future development.

But two El Paso historical preservation groups are angry about the plan and want the demolition stopped.

"Not all buildings can be saved, but I get real nervous when we see the city allow a developer take out so many buildings," said Bernie Sargent, chairman of the El Paso County Historical Commission, a commission appointed by El Paso County Commissioners Court to promote preservation of historical buildings. "We plan to write a letter in opposition to the mayor, City Council, and city manager."

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Vic Kolenc

The Texas Trost Society, another El Paso historical building preservation group, also issued a statement Monday opposed to River Oaks' plan.

Adam Frank, president of River Oaks, said, "The buildings are not of historical significance and it is not economically feasible to remodel them."

"These are old properties" that retail tenants vacated, and "with all the stuff going on Downtown, we wanted to take advantage of any opportunities that come up," Frank said. No specific redevelopment plans have yet been made for the property, Frank said.

"We envision a lot of great things for the property going forward," Frank said. "It could be a hotel, apartments, retail. It's a great location in the heart of Downtown."

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River Oaks is owned by El Paso multimillionaire Gerald Rubin, founder of El Paso consumer products company Helen of Troy. He resigned as chairman and chief executive officer of Helen of Troy in January. He is CEO of River Oaks.

The buildings to be torn down are former retail locations at 212 to 220 E. San Antonio at Mesa, and a vacant former fabric store around the corner at 109 S. Mesa. The five buildings have a combined value of $1.03 million for property tax purposes, according to appraisals by the El Paso Central Appraisal District.

Asbestos removal has begun inside the buildings, and demolition should be completed in about six months, Frank said.

The block of buildings is across the street from the historic, but also run-down Caples Building, owned by William "Billy" Abraham, and catty-corner from the Fallas Discount Store in the giant, former Popular Department Store building.

A statement from the Trost Society said the demolitions threaten the society's plan to "promote an architectural heritage corridor along San Antonio Avenue, between the (Camino Real) Hotel and the Richard Caples Building."

"We do plan to fight this with a grassroots effort, but first we need to get the word out," Malissa Arras, President of the Trost Society, said in an email.

Sargent said the buildings have no historic designations and are just outside the Downtown Historic District, so, he said, River Oaks did not have to go through the city Historic Landmark Commission to get a demolition permit.

"We'd like to sit down and talk to them (River Oaks) and discuss the heritage and history of the buildings," Sargent said. River Oaks is demolishing too many Downtown buildings, Sargent said.

River Oaks last year tore down the former Union Bank and Trust building at 104 E. San Antonio over building preservationists' objections. River Oaks officials said that the building was damaged in a fire that destroyed the adjacent, 130-year-old First National Bank Building, also owned by River Oaks, at 100 E. San Antonio.

Frank said River Oaks still has not determined what will be built on the now empty lot where the buildings stood. The lot is across the street from the Camino Real Hotel.

Last year, the Borderplex Community Trust, a Downtown real estate investment trust, also demolished several buildings at 218 to 230 N. Mesa at Mills over preservationists' objections. An empty lot stands where Borderplex officials have said a mixed-use project will eventually be built.

Sargent said just because a building is in need of repair is not reason enough to demolish it.

"Some day, someone is going to say, 'Why did we do that?,'" Sargent said.

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